Carbon dioxide hydrogenation to methanol over the pre-reduced LaCr0.5Cu0.5O3 catalyst

The synthesis of methanol from CO2 hydrogenation was carried out over the pre-reduced Cu-based LaCr0.5Cu0.5O3 catalyst. It showed a much higher catalytic performance (X-CO2 = 10.4% and S-MeOH = 90.8%) at 250 degrees C than over 13% Cu/LaCrO3 prepared by wet-impregnation method (X-CO2 = 4.8% and S-MeOH = 46.6%). XRD, H-2/CO2-TPD and XPS measurements illustrated that hydrogen was adsorbed on the Cu alpha+ sites and that CO2 was activated on the medium basic sites for the reduced LaCr0.5Cu0.5O3. This phenomenon was responsible for its catalytic activity. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.